Menu

The Modern Witch

Witchcraft has evolved over the centuries, and those who today identify as Witch in our modern times are part of a colorful tapestry of traditions and practices. You will get varied answers on what defines a “Modern Witch” depending on who you ask, but I will share my own personal views.

Modern witches are intelligent, and aware of the mindset and prevalent attitudes of the culture and community they live in. They have a grasp of local and world events, and the importance of these events on mundane and magickal/spiritual levels.

They are aware of how they present themselves to society, and they interact with their communities in a mature, responsible manner.

The modern witch understands that one cannot achieve enlightenment or any kind of magickal growth by being passive. They are constantly growing, changing, evolving. They are unafraid to “push the magickal envelope“, exploring new and creative ways to work their magick, to manifest their goals into reality, and bring healing and restoration to their communities.

The modern Witch acknowledges his/her ancient roots, honoring the Old Ways while at the same time embracing modern magickal concepts. We do not forget where we came from, and seek to preserve the lore and lessons of those witches, wizards and magickal folk who lived before us, and in whose footsteps we now walk.

Modern witches have a deep concern for the Earth and the environment, equal rights and animal rights, and are actively involved in the preservation of these.

They are life-long students of magick, always seeking to develop and strengthen their skills in the magickal arts.

The modern Witch is a balance of both Light and Dark, and understands that both are needed for wholeness.

One of the primary goals of the Witch from ancient times to modern day, is and always has been to serve others as a channel of healing, wisdom and transformation.

Like this:

Post navigation

One thought on “The Modern Witch”

Over the years I’ve read alot of books on ceremonial oisultccm, Paganism, Wicca, and occasionally I ventured into Ascension material but never felt any connection or resonance with the more New Age offerings, even though I found some of the information compelling and in many ways related to my own magickal practice and path.The reason I did not feel Ascension material was really related to more of a vocabulary difference, than anything else. The terminology was vastly different, with alot of nearly sci-fi jargon, and a seeming imbalanced perception of Light as in direct opposition to Dark. I also was unsure of what to think about the whole Ascended Masters and ET elements that were such core aspects of that paradigm. Many within the Pagan community looked down on Ascensionists as fluffy White Lighters , while alot of attitudes within the New Age community seemed to look down on Pagans and Witches as evil &/or misguided.Christopher Penczak has written a truely amazing book that helps bridge the gap between the various magickal and spiritual communities that actually share most, if not all, the same goals. Taking the major concepts and ideologies from the Ascension paradigm and drawing parallels to the Eastern and Western magickal and spiritual paths, Christopher cultivates a sense of kinship. Even the ET and intergalactic elements of Ascension were put into a perspective that made them not only palatable, but accessible and potentially very useful to a wide variety of readers. Also translating the contextual vocabulary of the New Age into concepts more familiar to Pagans and Magickians, the reader become highly aware of the value that Ascension can bring to the very modern seeker whether or not they consider themselves New Age or not.The book is hefty (which I loved), but does not rely on filler that repeats the same line from many other available books to acheive its weight. Readers well-versed in Western magickal traditions, such as Cabala and ritual magick will likely have a much easier time with some of the material than those unfamiliar with it. But by offering explanations that appeal to the knowledge-set of many different pracititioner levels and paths, everyone will be able to get a great deal from this veritable tome.Throughout the book Christopher’s desire to cultivate an inter-paradigm understanding and mutually beneficial exchange is very clear. Misconceptions that each community has about the other are also addressed honestly, and discussed in a frank manner and even the weaknesses of the path are gently exposed, with practical solutions for overcoming or avoiding them altogether provided for those who wish to delve deeper and become more involved with the Ascension scene.I absolutely loved this book and dog-eared many pages and chapters to go back to and re-read for better understanding. I also loved the meditations provided, especially the Merkaba activation. These allow the reader to experience the energies of this paradigm for themselves, should they choose.